Eye and bike candy from Industry Nine

At Sea Otter last weekend, North Carolina CNC wizards Industry Nine were on hand with enough shiny bike bling to make even the most jaded magpie think they’d found heaven. From nicely-machined hubs and black-on-black builds to unrestrained exercises in imagination, polishing, and anodisation, the company had something to suit most everyone.

Take, for example, the singlespeed wheelset above. Built using the company’s polished Torch hubs and alloy Trail rim, this singlespeed setup featured a colour-matched cog and spacer kit from their neighbors at Endless Bike Company.

I9’s Reynolds-built carbon fibre rims

Despite substantial-looking aluminium spokes, Torch hubs, and mid-width 29/25mm 29er rims, the 29″ Ultralite Carbon wheelset weighs in just under 1,400g. Not crazy light, but durable and stiff enough for most anyone.

Slender hub for chubby wheels

In discussing their Classic Fatbike model, Industry Nine mentioned that a full fifth of the company’s hub sales are sold into the husky niche. Given the bottom bracket-like proliferation of fatbike hub ‘standards’ and the high cost of entry ($590/set, UK pricing not yet set), it’s good to know that all current front standards are met with one hub (and varying end caps) and all rears with two: Front, 9×135 QR, 10×135 QR (Rear offset disc spacing), 15×135, 15×142; Short Rear, 170mm QR, 12×177; Long rear 190mm QR, 12×197.

For the early adopters, Industry Nine is currently the only high-end hub compatible with Rock Shox’s new Bluto suspension fork.

It’s hard not to wish for colour-matched decals, isn’t it?

Pricing on all hubs and wheels varies with configuration. Industry Nine is distributed in the UK by Just Riding Along.